Laundry treating appliances, such as clothes washers, may have a rotating drum defining a treating chamber in which laundry items may be placed for treating according to a cycle of operation. After completion of the cycle of operation, moisture may remain in the laundry and/or within the treating chamber. Moisture-laden laundry items in the treating chamber may induce the formation of mold or mildew, which may create a sour smell that most users find unpleasant. A user may be prevented from immediately removing moisture-laden laundry from the appliance at the end of a cycle of operation, thereby posing a risk of mold or mildew formation, and an ensuing sour smell.